Solvent-Free FeCl3-Assisted Electrophilic Fluorine-Catalyzed Knoevenagel Condensation to Yield α,β-Unsaturated Dicarbonyl Compounds and Coumarins

A highly environmentally friendly procedure was developed for the Knoevenagel condensation of aromatic aldehydes with diethyl malonate in the presence of FeCl3 and N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide as a source of electrophilic fluorine under solvent-free conditions. The scope of the reaction was explored using commercially available substrates. The reaction with substituted salicylaldehydes afforded the corresponding coumarin derivatives which attract interest due to their potential medicinal importance.